Perhaps in recognition of the ‘59 Les Paul Richards lent him a few years beforehand, Eric Clapton gave Keith Richards this Telecaster for his 27th birthday. Richards initially picked up this Telecaster in 1970. If enduring over fifty years in Keith Richards’ hands isn’t a testament to the durability of Fender’s instruments, nothing is! It’s been in his possession since the 1970s and is one of Richards’ main stage guitars to this day. Nicknamed for a character in Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, the “Micawber” Tele remains Keith Richards’ number one instrument to this day. This customized Telecaster is arguably the guitar most associated with Keith Richards.

See the list below of the most notable Keith Richards guitars and gear below. Undoubtedly, Richards has played more guitars than anyone could count.

Keith Richards is most know for playing vintage Fender Telecaster guitars, most notably his 1953 Butterscotch Tele, known as “Micawber”, which Richards was given as a birthday gift from Eric Clapton. It’s an incredible collection of instruments but I only play about 10 of them”.

Of his massive collection, Richards says “I have 3,000 guitars and only one pair of hands. Supposedly, he owns over three thousand instruments. Keith Richards is an avid guitar collector. In this list, we take a look at the guitars and gear most associated with Richards over the years. Photo by Raph_PHįrom their humble early days in London’s blues clubs to the dizzying heights of the Stones’ juggernaut stadium tours, Keith Richards is perhaps rock and roll’s truest survivor.

Forty years after the snide “steel wheelchairs” jokes have been long forgotten, the Rolling Stones endure, symbolic of the longevity of rock and roll itself. The Rolling Stones were one of the pioneer bands that defined early British rock and roll in the 1960s, to the point they were, laughably, considered too old for the game when they embarked upon the record-breaking Steel Wheels tour in the 1980s.

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